diff --git a/lib/hdb/hdb-ldap.c b/lib/hdb/hdb-ldap.c
index aa0cad000..60504e21a 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/hdb-ldap.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/hdb-ldap.c
@@ -1701,14 +1701,14 @@ hdb_ldap_common(krb5_context context,
     }
     memset(*db, 0, sizeof(**db));
 
-    h = malloc(sizeof(*h));
+    h = calloc(1, sizeof(*h));
     if (h == NULL) {
 	krb5_set_error_string(context, "malloc: out of memory");
 	free(*db);
 	*db = NULL;
 	return ENOMEM;
     }
-    memset(h, 0, sizeof(*h));
+    (*db)->hdb_db = h;
 
     /* XXX */
     if (asprintf(&(*db)->hdb_name, "ldap:%s", search_base) == -1) {